


The Power of Friendship

by Skye1456



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Canon Compliant, Friendship, Holoforms (Transformers), Secrets, eventual angst, until a point
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:08:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24015706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skye1456/pseuds/Skye1456
Summary: Laserbeak takes the lead on the daunting task of locating the Autobot base from Soundwave. To this end, she tracks down their human companions, eventually leading her Jasper, Nevada where she meets Rafael Esquivel. She engages a holoform to get close to the boy and discover his secrets. But what was initially supposed to be a false friendship, turns all too real before Laserbeak's eyes.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 41





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> *shrug* This popped into my head the other day so I'm writing it before I lose interest. If things go as I plan it'll stay canon compliant "until a point". Tags will update as I think of them. 
> 
> Mostly cute kids being friends. Entirely platonic 'round here folks.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Laserbeak is an overlooked mech. 

In fact, by the way she’s treated by others, it would seem that most of her fellow Cybertronians doubt her sentience, assuming her to be a drone, and things aren’t helped by Soundwave’s outwardly emotionless disposition. This of course, isn’t out of the ordinary for minicons, especially those attached so closely to a carrier like she is. 

Being overshadowed by her wonderful carrier, having any and all of her accomplishments be attributed to him, after all this time, even though it may occasionally frustrate her, Laserbeak has grown used to this treatment.

She is content. She doesn’t need the acknowledgement of anyone other than Soundwave, whose love and appreciation is more than she could ever ask for. Even Lord Megatron to a lesser extent, who knows of her true nature and will occasionally express approval—though in private, so as to not break the carefully constructed mythology surrounding Soundwave and his charge. 

Even so, Soundwave and Laserbeak are a package deal. Neither one’s efficiency and reputation would be possible without the efforts of the other. And as minicon and carrier, why would they want to be separate from one another? Especially after all that’s happened. 

These are thoughts that plague even Laserbeak’s mind as she requests to take charge over locating the Autobot base. 

Upon Megatron’s miraculous return from the brink of death—and after sufficient celebration—one of Soundwave’s top priorities became locating the Autobot base

Not that the spymaster hadn’t been doing that before. Far from it in fact, it’s just that in previous years it had been lower on his priorities. Between Megatron’s time away exploring the galaxy, the whole stint with Dark Energon, and then subsequently Megatron being put on life support, Soundwave had seen it fit to prioritize other things. Namely, the continued cohesion and loyalty of the Decepticon army to Megatron, in lieu of his absence and Starscream’s questionable leadership. 

Needless to say, Soundwave’s had his servos full. Even now he works hard on surveillance and documentation within the Nemesis, making sure everything runs smoothly as combat with the Autobots becomes more frequent and Lord Megatron recovers from his near death experiences. 

Thus, Laserbeak does something uncharacteristic of her passive nature and requests to take charge of this project that exists lower on Soundwave’s list of immediate priorities. 

_I wish only to lighten your workload Soundwave_. She expresses through their bond.

 _This is understood._ Soundwave replies. _But this venture requires not only Nemesis bound research, but extensive field work._

Laserbeak trills frustratedly against Soundwave’s chest. _Do you doubt my capabilities? Has it really been so long that you’ve lost your trust in me?_

Soundwave stalls, long digits halting in their speedy typing momentarily, as he sends Laserbeak hasty waves of apology and appreciation. _Of course not. You are trusted absolutely. I just…worry._

Laserbeak retracts her field of irritation. _I know…but you help no one by limiting my capabilities in this way. Not you, not me, not the Decepticons, and most certainly not Lord Megatron._

It’s a petty tactic, bringing up Megatron. Laserbeak is acutely aware of how her carrier feels about his old friend, but she really wants this opportunity. She needs it, the freedom.

The bond is quiet for a little bit. Soundwave outwardly continues his work organizing the Nemesis’s data, while Laserbeak knows that internally, he’s considering their conversation. 

_Laserbeak’s request for project transfer._ Soundwave says eventually. _Approved._

Laserbeak’s field pulses with eagerness.


	2. Chapter 1

The Autobots didn’t always have their groundbridge. Pit, they didn’t even always have a base. 

Laserbeak remembers, in the early days of their Earth occupation, when the Autobots travelled together in a convoy. There’d been less of them back then too. They’d travelled in a convoy, always moving, changing alts before separating and coming back together and repeating it over and over. Back then they’d been easy to track, so easy that the Decepticons had taken it for granted, not even bothering to _keep_ track of them. So when the Autobots did eventually gain their base, the Decepticons were woefully unaware. And things were only exasperated when the enemy gained their groundbridge. 

If things were still as they had been tracking down the Autobots would have been no issue. However, with the cloaking of their base and their access to a groundbridge, finding them is now quite the daunting task. 

One that Laserbeak approaches with stride and confidence. Though she can easily admit that it is a very daunting task.

So Laserbeak realizes that she must take a radically different approach, and for a little while she finds herself stumped. She goes searching around Soundwave’s files, until she stumbles upon her breakthrough. 

Soundwave still has the photo he took of those three humans they’d interacted with at that satellite station. He’d taken it entirely by reflex in response to the one human who’d done the same. Neither the carrier nor his minicon thought anything of it, but then those same three humans kept showing up everywhere the Autobots went. Again and again they popped up on radar, but no Decepticons has given them any second thoughts because, well…they’re human. 

Even as a small, overlooked being herself, Laserbeak hadn’t thought much of these humans before. Until now. 

The fact that these humans keep showing up alongside the Autobots, it stands to reason that they are close to the Autobots. Close enough perhaps, they even know the location of the oh so secret Autobot base. 

It doesn’t take much for Laserbeak to find out who the humans are exactly. A little hacking into some government databases leads her to the knowledge of Jackson Darby, Rafael Jorge Gonzales Esquivel, and—after realizing this one is a foreigner to this nation—Mikoto Nakadai. 

They’re…children. The human element that was able to compete with Soundwave in the digital world are children. 

Fascinating.

A little bit more poking around and Laserbeak finds their social media profiles. This _Internet_ website reminds her of the Grid. Primitive and archaic, but the similarities are undeniable. They post all sorts of things, all kinds of thoughts and information, but nothing of use to the Decepticons.

Some more snooping around and she learns their location: Jasper, Nevada. 

Yes. A location. Laserbeak can work with that.

She lets Soundwave know she’s off to perform recon, promises to keep the bond open, and detaches herself from her carrier to go off and investigate the purported human compatriots of the Autobots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things'll pick up next chapter I promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully I'll be able to get the first chapter up sometime tomorrow. After that, it's fair game for me.


End file.
